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Please help me in choosing a new kite....

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knotmyfault
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Re: Please help me in choosing a new kite....

Postby knotmyfault » Mon Feb 25, 2013 2:11 pm

I don't believe any store or kiting rep or kiting instructor since they always push their shit.

:thumb: ...
Last edited by knotmyfault on Tue Feb 25, 2014 4:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Please help me in choosing a new kite....

Postby TheJoe » Mon Feb 25, 2013 3:22 pm

Sounds like you need a high aspect kite for what you want. Look more towards race kites. All so try before you buy! My light bar pressure and your light bar pressure are too different definitions. Best if you can feel what it is first.

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Re: Please help me in choosing a new kite....

Postby peterheirman » Mon Feb 25, 2013 8:30 pm

Ozone Reo as you want wave too

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edt
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Re: Please help me in choosing a new kite....

Postby edt » Mon Feb 25, 2013 8:46 pm

I love the way both the catalyst and the rebel feel both are very direct responsive and simple kites. Don't get a bridled C until you are ready for unhooked stuff. You are overthinking this. You seem to think that the 2013 model kites are full of lemons and you have to be careful to avoid bombs. There have been a few real dogs out there from 2000 through about 2007 when kite manufacturers still didn't have it all figured out, twitchy kites, 2:1 bars that would kill your elbows with bar pressure, unsafe control bars, difficult relaunch. But I would be hard pressed to find any kite from 2013 that I actively disliked. The cat is one of my favorite kites all time. It's not real good at any one thing not great at kite loops, not great at unhooked, not the highest boosting, not the best wave, just very responsive and easy to fly relaunch, short bridle that never gets you in trouble and always goes exactly where you want it in the sky, nimble fun and reliable. The only thing bad about it is ozone still has the pull release, guess they are not going to push release until 2014.

You really are picky though I doubt you are the kind of guy that will get enough info just from random guys posting here. You will probably need to test, go look at the calendar for when the next "test fest" or wahtever they call it is going on near you.

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Re: Please help me in choosing a new kite....

Postby gvironda » Mon Feb 25, 2013 10:32 pm

Isuggest North Evo or Bandit
however I think 80% of the kites nowadays would perfectly suit :-)

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Brent4336
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Re: Please help me in choosing a new kite....

Postby Brent4336 » Mon Feb 25, 2013 10:48 pm

Really sorry to say it, but there is only one true answer to this thread, and its DEMO.

Before you yell at me, I feel your pain. I too live in an area away from kite demos and have bought gear based on what was around, what others liked, what I could get a deal on, and sometimes on a hunch. Reviews can put a kite in a general category for you but nothing, absolutely nothing compares to hands on testing. Ive owned a lot of kites over the years and some were great, some not so much, but my days of buying em without knowing what I'm getting are over!

I know what I thought I liked, until I tested a few kites last spring. The ones I was in love with before hand, I didn't like much in the end, and the one I though I wouldn't care for was hands down the nicest of the bunch and what I will get next. Its so personal. There is so much to how a kite handles that you just cant get from a marketing blurb or even an honest unbiased review. I may not end up with the best jumper, or the best wave kite, but this time I know what Im getting and it was hands down the most comfortable and confidence inspiring kite Ive tried yet.

Demo a few and maybe you can find that kite too.

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Re: Please help me in choosing a new kite....

Postby jrfiol » Mon Feb 25, 2013 11:03 pm

I always recommend RPM, but that is just the kite i like. I tried the north evo and it felt automatic. It jumped fine and the bar pressure was good. I think it may relaunch real well, didnt drop it in my demo. If u cant tru it, ur guessing and pockyness is not he correct description for ur effort

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Re: Please help me in choosing a new kite....

Postby pixelpedro » Tue Feb 26, 2013 2:24 am

Dude, if you want reaaaaally low bar pressure, Try the Switch element, that's actually what I hated about the kite, the lack of bar pressure, but is a killer kite for what I hear, I demoed a 13 on a shitty day, so can't really say about it performance much, but I've hear great things about it.

Another kite for super I know boosts great, and not much bar pressure would be the Nitro v2, these things are elevators, they go up, and don't like to come down, lol, for what I remember the bar pressure was a bit more than the element, but still pretty light, it was a very comfortable kite to fly.

I hear the Noise (BWS) also has ridiculous low BP, I've been wanting to demo, but can find anyone locally that has one.

So far for me, the perfect bar pressure is on Wainmans, feels great. Flexifoil also has low bar pressure, I used to fly Ion 3s and really dug those kites. Boosted very well, tons of power.

Good luck!

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Re: Please help me in choosing a new kite....

Postby flybykite » Tue Feb 26, 2013 2:46 am

andrewb44 wrote:
My criteria are as follows:
1. Low bar pressure. I suffer from mild kiters elbow so I want a kite that has little bar pressure.
2. Good/great boosting. I love jumping, especially nice floaty jumps. I want a kite that is easy to boost and boosts high. I don't want a kite that boosts well when you get it "dialed in" because I'm no Dimitri and so I can't get it "dialed in" easily.
3. Crisp responsive feel. I want a kite that is responsive not sluggish. I really dislike initiating a turn and then waiting.
4. Relatively easy relaunch and good depower. Because even though I'm a good kiter, you never know what shit can happen.
5. Handles gusts well. Because I never have perfect kiting conditions.
6. Decent wave kite. I don't kite the waves often but when I do, I want a kite that can handle it decently, e.g drifts back without stalling etc.



I am considering the following:
1. North Rebel (worried about bar pressure and 5th line getting f'kd up when the kite roles over in the waves)
2. rrd Obsession mkV (worried about stalling when using it as a wave kite)
3. Ozone Catalyst (seems to have developed quite a following; ?performance in the waves?; boosting?)
4. Naish Park (looks very appealing but the online forums are always taking about the line attachment settings and that has me worried)
5. Bridled C kite? May be too expert for me ? and besides, the 2013 Ozone C4 has mediocre online reviews.
You've just ticked all the boxes for the 2013 Ozone Edge.
1. Bar pressure is very light and there are 3 settings. The light setting is feather soft. Too soft for me. Prefer the middle setting to feel the kite better.ds
2. Its a boosting machine with long, high floaty jumps. Hangtime and height is really unreal and I've never felt out of control or even afraid at 20m jumps. 5 star booster for sure!!! Landings are butter soft always. This kite gives a big set of balls for those that love boosting.
3. Response is quite good for this kite. I like to kite hooligan style with loads of transitions, turns, jumps, spins etc. and I'm never waiting for the kite. Of course its not a C kite with lightning fast turning but it responds as fast as you'll need it to.
4. Relaunch is very good. An outside line puts it on its edge and up it goes. Depower is also fantastic for this high aspect kite. Killing the power when you want to is easy by either sheeting out or carving against the kite or a combination of both. I've rode other high aspect kites that were awsome at boosting but after landing it was almost impossible to turn off the power and regain control. Not so with the edge.
5. This kite is quite unique in gust munching. It transfers the gusts into upwind speed. Most kites pull me off my edge when big gusts hit but this one will simply drive upwind at even better angles allowing you to keep full control. Furthermore the range of wind these kites handle is pure magic! I can be on a 9 boosting nicely when people are struggling with 12's and stay on the 9 when the 6's and 7's roll out still maintaining full control. 11m has a very similar range as well. Wind range is advertised 7-35 knots. Never been in 7 knots but 10-35 easily.
6. This certainly isnt a wave kite but I surf 2-3m waves without a problem. Doing nice tight cut backs arent going to be its strong suit, though it drifts down the line nicely/ impossible to over run the kite., never ever stalls. Depowering the kite seems like the best way to approach the big waves.

I rode North Rebels for 2 years and loved them (own 6 of em) but after my first demo on an Edge this season my quiver went up for sale.
What I liked about the Rebel was that sheeting out killed the power instantly and vice versa. They jump very good and hang time is also very good but not great or awesome. Turning speed is pretty good when the kite is active but a small delay if its parked. Things I've not enjoyed with the rebel are back stall (especially in light wind) and loops (powered loops and even downloops). The loop radius is just too large and delivers too much power. On the really big jumps I always feel afraid to pull the trigger on a downloop and normally resort to sine the kite instead. I love rotations but I've always got to keep an eye on the 5th line/front line twists and spend a significant ammout of time turning the rotator to untwist the lines. If I dont and I need to use the release.... it simply wont flag out properly. I've also flown Catalysts and they are very similar to the Rebel. Both Rebel and Cat's are mediocre on waves btw.
Things I do not love about the Edge.... hmmm... only one thing really stands out. Build quality! I would love to see Ozone beef up the wear spots and trailing edge. Ahhh also I really dislike the pull release of their bar so I use a Switch bar instead.

Anyhow Brent4336 says it. Demo first to be sure you get a kite you love. If you need to pull the trigger on a boosting kite though, this is first on my list. Good luck!
Last edited by flybykite on Tue Feb 26, 2013 3:03 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Please help me in choosing a new kite....

Postby flybykite » Tue Feb 26, 2013 2:53 am

pixelpedro wrote: Another kite for super I know boosts great, and not much bar pressure would be the Nitro v2, these things are elevators, they go up, and don't like to come down, lol, for what I remember the bar pressure was a bit more than the element, but still pretty light, it was a very comfortable kite to fly.
Owned a Nitro2 12m and the bar pressure is almost non existant. Yes it boost great but you cannot kill the power after a landing. Huge minus for me! Also has slow non responsive turns. It would not allow me to ride hooligan style as I was always fighting the power just to make transitions. Wind range is also very narrow. Rode the thing about 10 times before I sold it. Edge boosts just as well and allows you to kill power after the landing.


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